Camp Camp Camp

Yesterday was the first day of summer camp 2012. It's so exciting to finally get to have campers again.  Jamie, Sarah Mooney and I were nervous and excited and bursting at the seams. When we dove to Subway to pick up lunch we were thrilled when Ellie and Jocele, two girls that are in our first group of campers, showed up and attacked us. 

I love check-in time when so many people are pulling up to the Longhouse. We get to greet new campers and their families. Often we recognize girls that have been our cabins or clinics previous summers. There are siblings we know, and sometimes like with Wilson the whole entire family.

I feel great about this group of campers. I was so excited when I walked inside to find them all sitting in a circle coloring together during check-in.

The party moved outside as our numbers grew to 30.

We got to do all of the Sunday traditions like going over the pool rules...

and taking the swim check to get our blue bands.

We ate baked ziti for dinner and took the all camp photo. We had our own mini photo shoot while everyone was getting organized.

The Hunger Games, our opening campfire theme, brought everyone together to represent the epic novel and movie. There were representatives of the districts, the whole Everdeen family and tributes.

Meet Katniss, Mrs. Everdeen and Primrose.

The counselors were all citizens of the Capitol.
Other highlights of the evening included hanging out in the Longhouse and hearing about Rachel's animal cracker scenerio, devotions, listening to Love Does and CILT initiation.

This morning the girls initiated some yoga before flagpole. We think this will be a daily tradition.

Favorite parts of the day:

-brainstorming the Session 1 bucket list

-writing a new CILT cheer

-nachos for lunch and some Party Room chanting

-seeing Ellie, Hannah and Marie, three of my old students, at the lake

-spending lake time with my new 9-year-old friend Kieran and going on the super fast slides together

-extra blob time with Ellie, Jamie and the girls of Chickasaw

Watching CILTs take on this new role of leading their adopted campers is one of my favorite things. They so quickly become like a big sister and capture these kids' attention. They encourage, sing songs, ask questions and play hard. And this is only the first full day, there is so much more to come.